Lonely Souls
by transfemmefatale
Summary: Minako Aino, finds motivation to fight the Death Busters difficult, feeling her heart isn't as pure as the other Guardians, if pure at all. After engineering her newest Fire Buster, Eudial wants to vanquish the Sailor Guardians and collect the three talismans so that the Witches 5 mission can be complete. But what happens after they fall in love whilst battling on opposite sides?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: _I do not own Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon or any of it's characters which are the property of Naoko Takeuchi, and are not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only._

 **Inspired by episode 109 of SM where Minako wants her heart snatched.**

* * *

 **Chapter One - Eudial**

My hands were stiff and raw, my forehead hot with sweat, but at that moment I couldn't have felt better. I stood in one of Professor Tomoe's testing laboratories so I could see for myself that all the hard work I'd put into engineering my new and improved Fire Buster II had been time well spent.

I slung the gas tank onto my back and took hold of the pipe nozzle aiming it directly at a flimsy piece of cardboard that I had cut out myself in the shape of one of the Witches 5 "most promising"... Mimete.

This was my fifth try to light that witch bitch on fire, every other time either nothing would come out or it just wouldn't come out far enough. But after a few tweaks to make the pipe nozzle I held stronger, longer, and more narrow I'd be damned if this fifth attempt wouldn't prove Fire Buster II to be the strongest flamethrower ever to hit Tokyo.

I counted down before flipping the switch. Five, four, three, two...

ONE!

Hot red and orange fire burst from the pipe nozzel and hit cardboard Mimete right in the heart and in three seconds all that was left of her was a pile of dust, and gray wisps of smoke that twirled upward into nothingness.

My eyes were wide and I felt the blood pulsing through my body. After all these failed attempts to capture the three talismans, now I could prove my chops as the leader of the Witches 5.

* * *

After exiting the testing lab I saw the girls in a circle talking and laughing about something Mimete was saying. That's when she looked over at me with that smug smile and those steely yellow eyes, almost panther like.

"Eudial?" Mimete called out and all the other girls turned to look at me.

"What exactly were you doing in the testing lab? Surely Professor Tomoe is the only one who has clearance to work in there."

"I gave her clearance." A low voice rang out from behind me and then I felt a pair of slender hands rest on my shoulder. Professor Tomoe.

"But why." Tellu chimed.

"Because unlike the four of you Eudial actually does her job. It's not even a quarter to three and there you are giggling and gabbing." His voice began to rise, "When you should be focused on our mission!"

"But-" Mimete whined.

"Do not speak!" Tomoe replied, which shut them all right up. He strode toward them now, their faces shrowded in dread. I watched with a grin as he brought himself not an inch away from Mimete, small and meak beside his tall slender body. "Now put on your lab coats and get back to work!" He yelled making them jolt.

As they recovered, Tomoe walked over and came to face me.

"So Eudial, how is your work on the new Buster going?"

From the corner of my eye I saw Mimete watch us, her eyes welling up, her face about to burst with all kinds of ugly emotions.

"Why don't I show you myself, come."

As he followed me into the testing lab I could hear a door slam behind us. Tomoe and I looked back and saw the door to the restrooms, a shrill cry coming out from behind it. I could've sworn I saw the door vibrate.

"I don't think they like me very much." I said, my voice cracking. And suddenly I could feel an ache in my chest. I'd been up to my neck in work and these girls had nothing but hatred for me. I knew they were jealous, but if they knew what it was like. The long days, the battles, not to mention the stakes. If I failed I'd be thrown out to the dogs, or worse. To die.

But I'd make sure they'd never know what it was like for me, because I was going to complete the mission. I was going to vanquish every last sailor guardian and collect each of the three talismans so Professor Tomoe could finish his experiments and so that I could be elevated to the tippy top of the Death Busters command.

"Oh Eudial, don't give them a thought. If anything it's a testament to your own passion and skill." He said and lightly brought his forefinger to my chin which felt so cold a shiver ran through my spine. "Now show me this new invention. I have a feeling it could be the key to finally moving forward with our mission."

Before I opened the door I gave him a sly smile. "Moving forward? Professor Tomoe, I believe this will not only bring us forward, but bring us to the finish line."

His eyes widened, "I cannot wait any longer, take me in there."

"Of course Professor."

* * *

On my drive home over the loud rumble of the radio, Professor Tomoe's satisfied laughter was all I could hear. He knew it and I knew it. All our work was finally going to come to fruition.

This world would be ours.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two - Minako**

"Three minutes left!" Coach Rui Gota exclaimed and with the shrill scream of her whistle our last volleyball practice match for the day had begun.

I was the top blocker on our team and braced myself as I stood hunched over in front of the net. Behind me Nara Hirata set the ball rocketing it all the way across the court and once Sen Kon blocked it the game was on.

A minute in and the ball still hadn't hit the ground on either side of the court. But once it came to me, my head hot, and my eyes focused I smashed the ball with all my might and instead of hitting the ground it hit poor Tani Nagano right in the nose.

"YES!" I exclaimed jumping up and down. But my teammates faces were grave. "We won. I did it, we did it you guys!" But soon I could gauge the hit was worse than I had thought. My teammates ran under the net to assist Tani whose face I couldn't even see her hands locked over it, blood trickling through them and onto her pink gym shorts as she weeped and weeped.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry!" I ran over to Tani, but could barely get close to her as everyone else on the team was huddled around her. Some of the girls in the huddle turned and looked at me as those I'd just murdered her, not that I could blame them.

"It was only a practice Minako. What the hell is wrong with you?" One girl said.

The worst was seeing Nara's cold eyes, my best friend on the team, and always so bright and cheery. Sometimes I would confide in her in ways that I couldn't with the other Sailor Guardians and though the same could be said for them it still hurt. What in the world had gotten into me.

"I... I didn't mean-"

"AINO MINAKO!" I turned and there was Coach Rui her face ablaze with fury.

"Yes?" I replied meekly.

"My office, NOW!"

* * *

Coaches Rui's office had become a kind of comfort for me over the course of the spring season. Sometimes after practice she'd invite me in and we'd have tea together and talk about our lives. Call me selfish but I always had a feeling that I was her favorite on the team, not just for my skill - in some ways she was almost like a surrogate mother for me.

I'd told her about how my parents were over living in London and rarely did they ever send me letters, postcard, or even emails. But Coach Rui always sent me cards for my birthday ever since I started vollyball, always containing the kindest little notes, telling me how happy she was to have me on the team.

But now as I sat in her office all I felt was shame and dread, my stomach tight and even a little queasy. It was empty at the moment, Coach attending to Tani and probably calling her parents to come as soon as possible or maybe even an ambulance. It couldn't have been that bad could it? God if I broke her nose...

That's when I heard a knock and inside came Coach. I took in a deep breath, not ready for whatever it was she about to tell me. I had gotten stern lectures before from her, but never for offenses like this.

Her eyebrows were narrow as she sat down into her swivel chair. My eyes were aimed down at my hands while I picked at a scab centered on my right knuckle, and I knew she was looking right at me with those big brown eyes.

"So tell me Minako, what's been going on with you? For the last few weeks you've been acting differently. You've always been competitive and passionate about the game, but lately you almost seem... like you been holding something in."

"I don't know what you mean Coach Rui." I told her, even though I knew exactly what she meant.

"You don't?"

"Well... things have just been... hard."

"How so?"

I shook my head on the verge of tears.

"You know you can tell me anything Minako. Sure I'm not your therapist, but anything you say won't leave this room."

For one thing the constant battles with the heart snatchers was getting more and more heated. But it wasn't just that. In their search for pure heart crystals they'd targeted Rei, Makoto, Ami, Usagi, and several others. But not me. Was I not pure. Was my heart, my soul, defective?

I looked up at her knowing that if I told her the truth she'd think I was crazy. But there were other problems too.

"It's just all so overwhelming. And... and... no one understands." I cover my face so she can't see the tears that stream down.

"Here Minako." Coach Rui says and pulls a napkin out of her lunch pale. I grab it fast and wipe my face and blow my nose, discarding it into the bin.

"Is Tani okay?"

"Well let's just say, it doesn't look the best. But her parents are on the way and I'm sure she'll be okay in the long run."

"In the long run? Her nose... did I break it?"

"To tell you the truth I'm not sure, but it'll all get handled. For now though Minako I think it's best if you took a break. You're a great asset to the team but right now it appears maybe it'd be best for you if you allowed yourself some time to slow down and get your priorities into order."

"What?"

"Don't worry. We want you back, but I think some time off would be good. And if you ever need someone to talk to I'm always here."

I took in a deep breath and looked around the room and then at Coach Rui.

"I guess you're right."

"We really appreciate everything you've contributed to the team Minako and I'm sure everyone will be happy to have you back, me included!"

I nodded, my face blank, and my stomach suddenly churning.

Coach Rui looked concerned. "Minako?"

Immediately I grabbed the bin and threw up into it. Her eyes grew wide and before I knew it I threw up more and more.

That was it, I was done.

No more volleyball. No more Nara. And certainly no more Coach Rui after the horrible embarassment that was tonight.

* * *

That evening I went home to my empty flat, except for Artemis who could tell something was wrong, and cried myself to sleep with him by my side.

A cat was my best friend.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three - Eudial**

Sitting on the porch balcony outside my apartment I sipped warm coffee and looked up at the colors of the sky. It wanted to be blue, but still there was too much grey covering it. Soon the sun would rise and the grey would vanish. It always vanished.

As of late my only moments of calm were those mornings. I woke up before five, work not until eight, and I'd sit and watch the sky in it's most precious form that mixture between the cool blues and rich greys. It felt familiar, it felt... right.

As I drank the last of my coffee, licking the sweetness from my lips, I could hear a ring come from inside the flat. I stopped and listened, there was no way, I never got calls so early... hell I never got calls at all. But the monotonous drone continued on and I followed it.

"Hello?"

"Eudial, is that you? It sounds like you."

"Yes. Professor Tomoe... how did you get my home number?"

"I... uh...," While he hesitated I could hear crying in the background. It sounded like a young girl. "Yellow pages. Yuko Arimura and finally I found the right one!" Tomoe said his cackle raw and wild.

I let out a soft nervous giggle, hearing my real name spoke aloud by Professor Tomoe's shakily unhinged voice turned my whole body cold.

The crying from the reciever got louder and what sounded like a little girl's voice at first turned into that of a man's, but not even a man's.

Indescribable.

 _It doesn't matter. Nothing matters._ It said and it felt like it was talking right to me. I began shivering.

"Professor is everything alright?"

"Kaolinite! Take her away to her-" Kaolinite? I thought she was dead. The reciever became muffled, but I could still make out Tomoe screaming and cursing away. After a few moments, "Eudial I just called to say work is cancelled for today. See you tomorrow."

"But today was gonna be-" And the dial tone sounded. I kept listening, maybe it wasn't true, there were so many questions I had. Not to mention today would be the day I finally vanquished the Sailor Guardians.

But he had hung up so I set the phone down, and slumped onto the couch, mind racing. He couldn't have really said Kaolinite's name could he? And what was that voice?

Compulsively I rubbed my arms. Was I losing my mind or were things behind the scenes strewn with more mystery and turmoil than I ever could've imagined?

Whatever it was I wouldn't be getting any answers today. So I made my way to the liquor cabinet and poured myself a glass of Cherry Vodka. Cherry was always my favorite fruit. The color, the tart tang sweetness, and to have it in the form of alchohol was the ultimate gift.

As the vodka slid down my throat and through my body, I brustled with warmth. But I was nearly out.

A day alone without alcohol was a day wasted. There wasn't much to do but feel empty and on edge. My family disowned me long ago and never had I gone on a real date, always one night stands. Friends were foreign to me as well, I never had a good handle on how to be loving because I never knew a soul that truly loved me themselves.

I poured the rest of the Cherry Vodka into the glass and gulped it down at once.

None left.

Surely I'd get my fix at the market, or maybe that new bar closeby, the 'Cherry Lantern'. Walking past it I always liked the low lighting and the pretty red candles hovering over the booths encased with crystal clear glass lanterns illuminated red orange by the burning candles inside them. I wondered if they had a scent too, cherry I had hoped.

Yuko Arimura may have been sixteen, but girls my age were rarely carded.

 _Especially when they looked like me._


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four - Minako**

Artemis and I were cuddled up on the couch watching 'Perfect Blue', a movie about a pop star gone mad. I got all the girls to watch it with me during one of our sleepovers, a little over a year ago. None of us cared for it much. In fact we had to turn it off because Usagi started crying halfway through. So we put on a romantic comedy and drank delicious strawberry milkshakes and everybody was happy. But since that night the movie always crawled up in the back of my mind, the way it portrayed the dark side to being an idol, a dark side I'd never once considered.

I always looked up to idols because to me idols got to live in a world of fantasy, fantasy that was real. They had all the money, all the looks, and everybody loved them. Sure as Sailor Venus I got to be something more than that in a lot of ways, but at the end of the day no one knew.

Sailor V was huge, or at least had been, but she was something I wasn't, something I never was. They didn't know the real me. They didn't know the me that cried myself to sleep every night, hopeless I'd ever be as strong as the other girls, and hopeless I'd ever find lasting love.

Hopeless period.

See the idols I had always looked up to were always seen at their best. None of it was real.

At least not to me.

Not anymore.

 _And I was living proof._

* * *

By the next morning when I awoke, Artemis snoring on my stomach, I heard the sound of paper slipping through the metal lined mail slot in the front door. I rubbed my eyes and there was Artemis up on his feet which were digging into my lower rib.

"My stomach isn't made out of concrete Artemis, shoo!"

Artemis hopped onto the floor and I could hear his tiny feet scratch it with each eager step. The sound echoed quieter as he made his way down the hall to check the mail.

"Mina, there's an envelope from your school!"

It was too early for this.

"I'll worry about it later!"

"Mina do you think it's about the thing that happened the other night?"

"What thing?"

"I'd rather not repeat it, but you must know. It's all you've been talking about since it happened."

"You'd rather not repeat it? GEEZ, you act like I was the cause of some grand disaster." I said rolling my eyes.

"Well it was certainly a disaster." Artemis said in that matter of fact way he did, never knowing when to...

"Shut up! I'll worry about it later just let me get some sleep. A lady needs her beauty rest."

Then silence. Ah silence. I curled myself over hugging my pillow and plunging my face into the soft fluffy crease of the couch. One would be surprised to know how easy it is to still breathe head smashed between two cushions, the scent of cotton and fabric looming up my nose, encircled only by warmth and darkness.

 _This_ was heaven.

Then there was scratching on my leg. Heaven interrupted.

"Mina, the letter is from your Coach. Wake up, wake up."

I screamed as loud as I could hoping it made its way out from behind the cushions. Artemis began scratching again, this time at my ankle. I threw a kick, but he dodged it. He'd gotten good at that.

I pulled myself out of the couch and turned to him with the devil in my eyes.

"I DON'T WANT TO READ IT."

Artemis frowned. "I already did. It said that you did break the Nagano girl's nose and that the parents expect compensation by two weeks from today."

My eyes grew big and I clutched my hand to my mouth. My stomach burbling.

"Oh no, not again?" Artemis whined.

I ran as fast as I could to the bathroom and dry heaved into the toilet. Nothing came out because I hadn't had dinner the prior night. Because...

 **I was empty.**

I heard the sound of Artemis's tiny feet pit patting the floor and there he was his eyes reamed with concern. "Mina, could you be... pregnant?"

"BYE." I said and slammed the door in Artemis's face.

* * *

"300,000 yen?! Oh Minako, you're strong. Her nose must be pure mush!" Usagi exclaimed. We were at a tiny little cafe which stood a few blocks from her house, we always went there whenever either of us was down.

"It better be mush with how expensive this damn surgery is. Like Usagi, it was an accident. These things happen all the time!"

Usagi looked at me all weird. "It was an accident?"

"Usagi!" I yelled slamming my fist on the counter, which made both our plates shake, and an elderly couple on the other side of us glared. Usagi wrapped her hands around her Bubble Tea, Sushi, and Sweet Rolls making sure nothing tipped over. I looked down at my warm bowl of Udon, the broth making little waves around the noodles and veggies. It was the first thing Artemis and I ate after moving back to Japan.

Usagi patted me on the back. "Well it's not that bad, they've given you two whole weeks, and Sailor V Merch is still selling strong right?"

"She's been declining in popularity actually."

"And you don't have any extra yen saved up?"

"I do, but it's all with my parents and I really don't want to talk to them at all let alone have to tell them about THIS. Oh Usagi, why does everything just keep getting worse and worse?"

I rested my head on Usagi's shoulder, her body tightening as she finished her last piece of sushi. "Usually I'm the one leaning on you Minako, but I don't know what to say. I wish I could help you." Usagi said relaxing her body and patting me on the head.

"This is enough." I said feeling a little better. Usagi's shoulder was warm and soft. Much better than the musty pillow I always used back at my flat.

Usagi giggled. "I'm glad."

After an awkward bit of silence, Usagi sprung up, and exclaimed:

"The Cherry Lantern!"

"What?"

"Michiru and Haruka told me all about it the other day, they loved it, _apparantly they serve alcohol_." Usagi said making sure only I could hear the last part. "And ice cream! But like sophisticated ice cream." I let on a smile. "Mina, you need a night to loosen up, it could be the trick to cheering you right up!"

"You'll go with me?"

Usagi's wide smile vanished. "Well uh... me and Mamo were going to study tonight."

I grumbled.

"Oh I'm sorry Mina, what about the other girls? I bet they'd love to go!"

"Maybe." I said looking down at my soup again. I loved the other girls, but lately I felt so inferior around them. If I went with them I'd just embarass myself while they flounced all their elegance and dignity.

"You should call them up."

"Yeah I will." I lied.

I sighed and looked out the window. Cars, buildings, and passerby. Same old same old. But the sun was shining bright. It was a pretty day even though it didn't feel like one.

Wait.

 _Apparantly they serve alcohol._

I wasn't ever one for drinking, but whenever I did it did make me feel more free. I wanted to be free right now. And I could go alone, it wouldn't be so bad with a little liquid courage to get me through it.

I popped my head up.

"Usagi?"

"Yeah Mina?"

"What's the place called again?"


End file.
